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Small Pets · Rabbits

Californian Rabbit

Oryctolagus cuniculus

A sturdy, placid breed in Himalayan pointsIntermediate

Lifespan: 5-10 years
Weight: 3.6-4.8 kg (8-10.5 lb); does run larger than bucks
Social needs: Social; keep in neutered bonded pairs
Time: Daily; 1-2 hours of feeding, cleaning and floor time
Cost: Moderate to high
Diet: Unlimited grass hay, daily greens, strictly measured pellets

Overview

What is this animal?

The Californian was developed in the 1920s by George West in Southern California as a dual-purpose meat and fur breed, combining Himalayan, Standard Chinchilla and New Zealand White stock.
It is a large, muscular rabbit with a white body, near-black points on the nose, ears, feet and tail, and ruby-pink eyes.
The pointed pattern is temperature-sensitive, so the markings darken in cold weather and fade in warm spells, and kits are born almost entirely white.

As a companion it is calm, solidly built and less delicate than the dwarf and lop breeds, but at 3.6-4.8kg it needs space, food and equipment at large-rabbit scale.
Because it remains a common commercial and 4-H breed, Californians turn up in rescues regularly, so check adoption before buying.
They are not a low-effort starter pet, and they need the same decade-long commitment, companionship and rabbit-savvy vet care as any other rabbit.

Temperament

Californians are widely regarded as one of the calmer, steadier rabbit breeds, and well-socialised adults are placid, curious and tolerant of quiet company.
They are still prey animals that generally dislike being lifted, so interact at floor level and let the rabbit come to you.

Their hindquarters are powerful, and a struggling Californian can scratch a handler or injure its own spine, so children should never carry one.
They suit patient households that enjoy calm, ground-based companionship rather than a cuddly lap pet.

They are social and should live with a bonded, neutered companion rabbit.
Most litter-train easily, learn routines quickly and become confident free-roam house rabbits when given consistent, gentle handling.

A good fit for

Keepers wanting a calm, sturdy large rabbit
Homes with generous permanent floor space
Adopters willing to check rescues first
Families with gentle older children
Those preferring a low-grooming flyback coat

Common mistakes to avoid

Hutch or cage housing far too small for the breed
Fast weight gain on unmeasured pellets
Sore hocks from hard, wire or dirty flooring
Overheating above about 25°C (77°F)
Children picking up a strong, kicking rabbit
Keeping this social breed alone

Enclosure

Minimum 60,000 cm² of floor (9,300 sq in) — for the pair · 300 × 200 cm

Cannot be kept alone. The minimum is 2, and the space above is for that group.

A pair needs a permanently accessible base of at least 3x2m (10x6ft) of floor space with 1m (3ft) of height, such as a rabbit-proofed room or large floor pen, plus daily access to a bigger exercise space.
Traditional hutches and pet-shop cages are far too small for a breed this size, and a Californian must always be able to take several full hops, stand upright on its hind legs and stretch out flat.

Their weight makes soft, non-slip flooring important, so avoid wire, bare hard floors and thin bedding, which cause sore hocks.
Provide oversized litter trays, sturdy hides, tunnels and chew items, and keep cables and skirting protected indoors.

Keep them cool and shaded, because rabbits struggle above about 25°C (77°F) and this heavy-bodied breed overheats faster than small ones.
Ruby-eyed rabbits can also be sensitive to harsh bright light, so always offer dim retreats.

Check your enclosure

Supplies

Setup

Housing and secure exercise space
Litter trays, bowls, carrier, hides

Ongoing

Grass hay by the bale or the largest box available
Plain uniform adult rabbit pellets (no seeds, no coloured bits)
Mixed leafy greens for daily feeding
Heavy ceramic water bowl (tip-proof)
Hay rack or hay-filled litter tray
Eggcup or small scale for measuring pellets
Untreated willow or apple chews
Airtight bin to keep pellets fresh

Safe substrate: Paper-based litter in the tray, topped with hay · Fleece or washable mats on the living floor · Straw for outdoor warmth

Work out the cost

Care routine

Daily

Check droppings and appetite
Company and time out
Fresh greens and a measured pellet portion
Fresh water
Spot-clean the enclosure
Top up unlimited hay
Watch them while they are awake

Weekly

Change the litter trayevery 2 days
Brush out loose coatevery 3 days
Hands-on health check
Rotate enrichment
Weigh-in

Monthly

Deep-clean and change beddingevery 2 weeks
Check supplies and dates

Less often

Trim nailsevery 6 weeks

Vet: Annual exam, vaccinations and dental check — every 12 months (every 6 months from 5 years old)

Top resources for more info

Independent creators and organisations we would send a friend to. We have no affiliation with any of them, and nothing here is sponsored. Links checked 2026-09-19.

YouTubers

Lennon The BunnyRabbit care basics, free-roaming, fostering and advocacy Sincerely, CinnabunLiving with a free-roam house rabbit; care and wellness tips Bobo Ellie BunsDaily life with bonded Holland lops; more company than tutorials

Sites

House Rabbit SocietyCare and behaviour library from the US rabbit-welfare charity Rabbit Welfare Association & FundCare guidance and vet-backed advice from the UK rabbit charity RSPCA: rabbitsHousing, diet, company and health guides for pet rabbits

Go deeper

Diet

Unlimited fresh grass hay must make up around 85% of the diet, with a daily adult-handful portion of varied leafy greens.
Feed plain uniform pellets strictly measured at no more than an eggcupful (about 25g) per kilogram of body weight daily, and reduce that if weight creeps up.

The breed was selected for fast growth and efficient feed conversion, so Californians gain fat quickly on free-fed pellets, muesli mixes or sugary treats.
Obesity in a rabbit this heavy directly worsens sore hocks, grooming problems and gut trouble.

Offer water in a heavy, tip-proof bowl as well as any bottle, since large rabbits drink a lot.
Introduce new greens gradually and skip fruit except as an occasional tiny treat.

Health

Sore hocks (pododermatitis) are the main breed-linked risk, driven by their body weight on hard or dirty flooring, so check the hind feet weekly.
Gut stasis is an emergency in all rabbits, and any drop in appetite or droppings needs a vet the same day.
Their white rump also shows soiling clearly, which helps you catch the wet fur that invites flystrike in warm months.

Unlike the dwarfs and lops on this site, the Californian's longer commercial head shape makes congenital dental problems less common, but constant hay wear is still essential.
Spay does, because uterine adenocarcinoma affects the majority of unspayed females by five or six years old, and neuter bucks for bonding.

In the UK and Europe, vaccinate annually against myxomatosis, RHD1 and RHD2; in North America, ask your vet about the RHDV2 vaccine.
Budget for larger drug doses at this body weight and choose a rabbit-experienced practice before you need one.

Is your enclosure big enough?

Minimum floor area60,000 cm² (9,300 sq in) of continuous, unbroken floor

As dimensions300 x 200 cm

CompanyCannot be kept alone. The minimum is 2, and the space above is for that group.

Length

Width

Height

Units

Is this urgent?

A rabbit that stops eating is an emergency, not a wait-and-see. Nothing else on this page is as time-critical.

Go now

Not eating, or not producing droppingsCall an exotics vet. Some sources treat 3 to 4 hours as the point to start worrying and 12 hours as an outright emergency; do not wait to find out which camp is right for your rabbit. Gut stasis can become life-threatening within 12 to 24 hours, and every hour of delay makes it harder to reverse.

8 hours

Hunched with the belly pressed to the floorGo now. A rabbit in this posture is in significant pain.

Now

Loud teeth grindingGo now. Distinct from the soft purr of a content rabbit. This is a pain signal.

Now

Hard, bloated abdomenGo now. Do not force-feed and do not massage. Bloat may need decompression rather than gut motility drugs, and the two treatments conflict.

Now

Maggots or fly eggs near the rearGo now. Flystrike. Check the rear twice a day in warm weather, every day, for every rabbit.

Now

Cannot cope with heat — panting, wet nose, lying flat and unresponsiveMove to shade, offer a wrapped cool pack, wet the ears, and go. Rabbits cannot pant effectively to cool themselves; distress starts around 28C and rises steeply.

Now

Today

Head tilt, or eyes flicking side to sideBook today. Outcomes are far better with early treatment.

Today

Weight down 50 g or more since last weekCall today with the weight history. Fur hides body condition completely. The scale sees it first.

Today

Two rabbits are the minimum, and a bonded pair will also tell you when something is wrong — a rabbit sitting apart from its partner is worth a second look.

This is general guidance for a healthy adult, not a diagnosis. An exotics vet who knows your animal always overrides it — and the time to find one is before you need one.

Can a californian rabbit eat that?

Hay first, greens second, everything else barely at all. A rabbit fed mostly pellets and treats is a rabbit with dental disease waiting to happen.

Check a food

The full list

Never (23)

AlcoholNo safe amount at any body weight on this site.

never

AvocadoPersin, concentrated in the skin, stone and leaves. Implicated in cardiac damage across birds, rodents and reptiles.

never

BindweedToxic, and it grows through hedges where people forage.

never

Bread and baked goodsRefined starch ferments in the hindgut and causes gas and stasis. No nutritional case for it either.

never

ButtercupProtoanemonin, an irritant toxin. Common in lawns, so check what you pick.

never

CaffeineCoffee, tea and energy drinks. Cardiac and neurological toxicity at tiny doses for an animal this size.

never

ChocolateTheobromine and caffeine. Small mammals and reptiles cannot clear either.

never

DairyAdults are lactose intolerant and the gut flora cannot handle it.

never

Dried fruitSugar concentrated several times over, and it sticks to the teeth. Most commercial small-pet treats are exactly this.

never

FoxgloveCardiac glycosides. Fatal.

never

GarlicSame allium toxicity as onion, and more concentrated by weight.

never

Iceberg lettuceAlmost entirely water with negligible nutrition, and it contains lactucarium, which causes diarrhoea in quantity. It displaces food that would have been useful.

never

LeekAllium family. Same mechanism as onion and garlic.

never

MeatA hindgut fermenter has no way to process animal protein. It disrupts the gut flora the animal depends on.

never

MushroomsNot part of any of these animals' natural diet, and the risk from misidentified varieties is not worth the zero upside.

never

NutsFat and phosphorus loads a herbivore is not built for, and a choking risk.

never

OnionOrganosulphur compounds damage red blood cells. The whole allium family is out.

never

PotatoSolanine in the skin and any green part, plus a starch load the hindgut cannot handle.

never

Raw beansLectins. Also a gas producer in a species that cannot vomit or belch.

never

RhubarbVery high in soluble oxalate, high enough to cause acute kidney injury. The leaves are worse than the stalks.

never

Salty or seasoned human foodSalt, oil and seasoning. Crisps, chips, seasoned leftovers and processed meat are all out.

never

SweetcornThe hulls are indigestible and are a recognised blockage risk in small herbivores.

never

Yogurt dropsSold in every pet shop for rabbits. Dairy plus sugar, and there is no version of this that is appropriate.

never

Rare treats (13)

AppleSugar. The seeds contain a cyanogenic compound and must be removed. A thin slice, once or twice a week. Never the seeds or core.

rare treat

BananaVery high in sugar and starch, and most animals will overeat it given the chance. A slice the width of a fingernail, rarely.

rare treat

BlueberrySugar, but a small portion size makes it easy to control. One or two berries, twice a week.

rare treat

Brussels sproutsHighly gas-forming. Half a sprout, rarely.

rare treat

CarrotSold as the archetypal rabbit food and it is nothing of the kind: carrot is a root vegetable with a high sugar content. The leafy tops, by contrast, are an excellent green. A thin slice as a treat. The tops can be fed freely.

rare treat

CauliflowerOne of the most gas-forming brassicas. A very small piece, occasionally.

rare treat

GrapesVery high in sugar. Halve them, because a whole grape is a choking hazard. One halved grape, rarely.

rare treat

OrangeAcidic and sugary; can irritate the mouth and gut. A tiny segment, rarely if at all.

rare treat

PearSugar. Remove the seeds. A thin slice occasionally.

rare treat

PeasHigh in starch and sugar. The pods and leaves are better than the peas. A few pods occasionally.

rare treat

StrawberrySugar, though lower than most fruit. The leaves are actually the better part. Half a small berry, once or twice a week.

rare treat

TomatoThe ripe flesh is safe in small amounts. The leaves, stems and any green fruit contain solanine and must never be offered. A small piece of ripe flesh, occasionally. Never the plant.

rare treat

WatermelonSugar and a very high water content, which together can loosen the gut. Remove the seeds. A small cube in hot weather, rarely.

rare treat

Occasional (18)

BasilSafe and well liked. Rotate rather than relying on it. A few leaves.

occasional

Bok choyGood green, mildly goitrogenic like other brassicas. A leaf or two a few times a week.

occasional

BroccoliNutritious but a notable gas producer. Leaves and stalk are better tolerated than the florets. A small floret or a piece of stalk, twice a week.

occasional

CabbageA brassica. Gas-forming in quantity, and goitrogenic with heavy long-term feeding. A small piece, once or twice a week.

occasional

CelerySafe and well liked. Cut across the stalk so the long fibres cannot catch. A short piece, cut into segments.

occasional

ChardSame oxalate issue as spinach. A small leaf, occasionally.

occasional

CourgetteSafe and mild. Serve raw. A few slices a few times a week.

occasional

CucumberSafe, but it is mostly water with very little in it. Useful for hydration in warm weather, poor as a staple. A few slices.

occasional

DillSafe in rotation. A few fronds.

occasional

Green beansSafe cooked or raw in small amounts. Gas-forming in quantity. One or two, occasionally.

occasional

KaleHigh in calcium and a mild goitrogen. Genuinely nutritious, but not the everyday green it is often sold as. A leaf or two, two or three times a week.

occasional

MintSafe in small amounts; strongly flavoured and not every animal wants it. A leaf or two.

occasional

ParsleyNutritious but relatively high in calcium. Fine in rotation, not as the whole green portion. A few sprigs, a few times a week.

occasional

PelletsA uniform pelleted nugget, not a muesli mix. Muesli lets a rabbit pick out the sweet bits and leave the fibre, which is how dental disease starts. An eggcup per rabbit per day, no more.

occasional

PumpkinSafe and well tolerated in small amounts. A small cube occasionally.

occasional

RocketPeppery and well tolerated in rotation. A small handful, a few times a week.

occasional

SpinachHigh in oxalates, which bind calcium and contribute to bladder sludge and stones in animals prone to them. A single small leaf, no more than once or twice a week.

occasional

WatercressNutritious, strongly flavoured, high in calcium. A small handful occasionally.

occasional

Everyday foods (9)

Bell pepperOne of the best everyday vegetables here: high in vitamin C, low in sugar, no oxalate problem. Remove the seeds and stalk. A few strips daily.

everyday food

Bramble leavesBlackberry leaves are excellent forage and rabbits take them readily. A few leaves daily.

everyday food

Carrot topsThe leaves are a proper green and much better food than the root. A handful as part of the daily greens.

everyday food

CorianderWell tolerated, aromatic, and most animals take it readily. Part of a daily mixed handful.

everyday food

Dandelion leavesOne of the best greens available, and free. Pick well away from roadsides and anywhere that may have been sprayed. A generous handful daily.

everyday food

GrassFresh growing grass is excellent. Lawn clippings are not: they ferment in the bag and cause severe gut upset. As much as they will graze. Never mown clippings.

everyday food

Grass hayShould be about 80 percent of what this animal eats, available at all times. It is what wears the teeth down and what keeps the gut moving. Unlimited, always.

everyday food

PlantainA common lawn weed and one of the better forage plants. A handful daily.

everyday food

Romaine lettuceDark leafy lettuce with real nutritional content and a good water balance. A generous handful daily as part of a mixed selection.

everyday food

That plant or food is not on our list. Do not offer it — a rabbit cannot vomit, so anything that goes in has to go all the way through. Check with an exotics vet.

A rabbit that has not eaten for 8 hours needs a vet, whatever the reason. Diet changes are the most common trigger for that, which is why new foods go in one at a time.

What it really costs

Setup, monthly, first year and across a whole life, itemised and with the electricity worked out from the actual wattage. Published figures for the same animal disagree by a factor of four, so the calculator shows ranges rather than picking one.

Region

How many animals

Your electricity price, per kWh

Buying the setup